Seeing Red

Aight, imma head out

It was time for Charles to leave for Canada, we were at the heliport to drop him off. He told me to keep an eye out for tabloids and rumours.

Mia was not having it, she was upset about not getting spend more than a few days with her father. She had clasped on to his arm and refused to let go.

"Ma Petite, I'll be back even for you know!" He tried coaxing her.

"No you won't! You lie all the time I'm not letting go." She bawled.

"Next time we'll fly together! You'll have your summer break, we'll have so much fun." He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

She was sobbing, I felt for her. As a little kid I didn't get to see my dad that often because he was always travelling for business, every little opportunity he got at home he'd spend with me and Harriet.

After lots of comforting, Mia finally stopped crying. She refused to go and play in the park or colour pages with me, she didn't even want to collect bugs- her new favourite hobby.

She lay in her bed, looking at the ceiling all grumpy, refusing everything I offered to her. But when I said let's get gelato, she was up and running.

With arms linked and skipping through the streets we were off to get some gelatos, after getting them we decided to head to the park to sit down and eat them.

"You're nice Tara, I like you." She looked at me.

"I like you very much too!" I nodded.

"You treat me like the big girl I am, you know I'm not a baby." She said getting gelato all over her nose.

"I sure do!" I laughed wiping the gelato off her face.

"When I go to my mum in the summer, what will you do?"

"Hmm, I don't know. I'll find something, how excited are you to meet her?"

"Very! When I visited her last time she said that the next time I'm there she'll have my room ready!"

"Fun! Have you told her about your bugs?"

"She said that it's strange but if I'm happy I should collect more bugs!"

We walked around the park for a while, it was getting cooler and Mia was growing tired. I offered to carry her in my arms but she claimed that a big girl of age 6 can walk the distance.

A notification popped up on my phone, it was Harriet.

Harry: Tara Donna Fae. What am I hearing?

Me:...Harriet Ava Fae, why are we using middle names? What happened?

Harry: Where are you right now?

Me: I'm on my way home

Harry: Well get home faster!

Me: Let me talk to the bus driver and see what he thinks... He told me to shut it. So you should too!

Harry: YOURE WITH CHARLES AND DIDNT EVEN TELL ME!

Me: YOU DIDNT EVEN TELL ME MIA WAS HIS DAUGHTER.

I hopped of the bus and walked a few meters, I was so tempted to just walk into the restaurant and have a conversation with her there and then.

But first I had to get home and see what had Charles had said that caused so much panic. I dashed in and switched on the TV, all the gossip shows were covering exactly that. I was in luck.

He sat at the table with Arthur to his left and Pierre to his right, as much as a pain he'd been to me so far, I couldn't deny he looked so fine in that red. He had his charming smile on and his eyes piercing as ever.

The conference started off with general questions about their expectations from the weekend and how the previous weekend had been. One of the journalists at the press caught Charles off guard

"Recently images of you surfaced enjoying your week off, back home is it fair to say you are off the market again?"

Charles froze, he took a deep breathe quickly mumbled no comment and stood up to leave, Arthur followed him and they were gone.

This is what he wanted all along right? A little bit of spotlight so that they'd leave him alone? Now that the time was here he did this! I don't even know why I was getting so angry! I knew he was going to probably be quizzed by his media team now, I decided to just send him a message.

Me: Charles. What. Just. Happened. YOU THREW AWAY THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY!

Was it aggressive? Yes. Do I have regrets? Nope, couldn't feel even a tinge when I hit send. What he wanted had dropped into his lap and he still acted clueless.

Charles: I'll call you in a few, let me explain myself

Me: What are you going to explain? And don't you dare think I'm stupid, I know you are TRAINED to face the media

Charles: ...

Me: I swear to God this is going to be the death of me. What am I supposed to tell my sister? My friends?

Charles: Lorenzo knows it's all a ruse the others don't know. Don't tell anyone just yet, I'm calling you in a few minutes.

Every conversation I had with this man frustrated me even more, how could you admire someone and hate someone so much at the same time?

"Tara tell me what the fuck is going on!" I heard Harriet march into the house.

"Let me explain!"

"Start speaking, now!"

"So I met him at Mia's birthday, we talked for a while and one thing led to another. Pascale called me later saying that he had taken my number, he asked if I'd want to go on a date with him. Obviously I said yes, we haven't had a proper date just yet..." I altered the tale.

"What does that even mean? Not yet?"

"We picked Mia up from school, ate pizza together and then a few days ago we dropped him at the heliport so yeah... yet to go on an actual date." I lied through my teeth.

"What a dirtbag." She scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"If he really cared about you, you'd be in Canada right now."

"My dude, this happened over like ten days! And he's not a dirtbag! He's charming!" I defended him.

"If that's what helps you sleep at night!" She laughed.

I wasn't really dating him, but her words still offended me. I refused to cook dinner that night and went straight to bed, when I was drifting to sleep my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered still trying overcome my sleepiness.

"Were you sleeping?" He asked.

"Huh? I was about to and you said you'd call in a few minutes it's been hours."

"Listen, I panicked. I panicked bad."

"Talk about it." I laughed.

"You don't understand! They're more invested in my business now than ever."

"You did this to yourself."

"You're mad at me aren't you?"

"What right does a stranger have to be mad at you? Good night." I ended the call.

He called up again, "For the record, we are partners. You have every right to be mad at me."

"It's just- your opportunity dropped right in your lap! And you threw it away!"

"It was stupid of me, there's an event coming up."

"What about it?"

"Come there as my plus one to 'officiate' this relationship."

"I need more information!"

"You'll know! I'll have my manager-"

"Send over the details. Good night."

I rolled back in bed and lay awake for a while, not too long ago I came to this place with nothing. I had nothing and everything to gain, I gained a lot! A little too soon, what if it backfired in my face?